An Evaluation on the Influence of Municipal Authorities on the Socio-Economic Development of the North West Region of Cameroon

Despite the recognition of community development structures in the 2019 bill on regional and local authorities of Cameroon and strengthened in the 2023 ministerial order, as crucial players to drive the decentralization process, there remains a gap in understanding and appropriating the impact of their roles in advancing socio-economic conditions within the context of decentralization in the North West Region of Cameroon.This paper therefore investigated the impact of municipal authorities, on socio-economic development in the North West Region of Cameroon, within the context of decentralization.Primary data was collected from 277 municipal authorities in total from all the divisions of the North West region of Cameroon.Descriptively, data was analysed using frequencies and percentages and inferential analysis, including correlation analysis and ordinary least squares regression with aid of the SPSS software.The findings from ordinary least squares regression results revealed that municipal authorities positively and significantly affect the socioeconomic development of the North West region of Cameroon.The study recommends intensifying training for stakeholders on their roles and promoting better collaboration among them, would help move decentralization from a theoretical goal to a practical reality in the North West Region of Cameroon.